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Researchers to discuss potential of swine as models for human disease
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Biomedical scientists from around the world will discuss the potential of swine as models for understanding and treating a variety of human diseases when they gather for the Swine in Biomedical Research Conference on Jan. 27-29 at the Fairmont Hotel, 200 N. Columbus Road, in Chicago. The conference will open with a […]
Abundance of protein in infected swine may result in reduced muscle mass
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – A study looking at chronic infectious respiratory diseases that affect most swine during their critical growing stage has shed new light on the reasons for restricted weight gain and reduced muscle mass. In the November issue of the Journal of Nutrition, scientists at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign report that the […]
Molecular technique shows promise in destroying drug resistance in bacteria
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – A new approach to outwit resistance to antibiotics has been discovered by a team of researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. By inserting a naturally occurring molecule into an antibiotic-resistant bacterium, the team was able to gradually destroy the machinery responsible for the resistance. “Multidrug-resistant bacteria are now ubiquitous in […]
Study shows hands-free cell phones dangerously distracted drivers’ attention
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Driving with one hand on the wheel and another on a cell phone has led to legal restrictions and proposals to require drivers to use hands-free phones. Hello? Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have tested the hands-free approach and found that drivers – young and old – struggled to […]
Head of cell and structural biology department at Illinois is honored
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Martha U. Gillette of the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Urbana-Champaign has been recognized for “her career achievements in neuroscience as a scientist, teacher and mentor.” She received the 2004 Mika Salpeter Lifetime Achievement Award by Women in Neuroscience during the recent Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in San Diego. […]
Five at U. of I. named Fellows of American Association for Advancement of Science
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Five faculty members of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have been awarded the distinction of AAAS Fellow by the American Association for the Advancement of Science: C.K. (Tina) Gunsalus, Paul B. Kelter, Harris A. Lewin, Benjamin W. Wah and John H. Weaver. Election as a fellow is an honor bestowed upon […]
Safety of isoflavones in dietary supplements targeted by Illinois initiative
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – A multidisciplinary team of scientists at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is embarking on a comprehensive five-year study of the effects of soy isoflavones found in dietary supplements on various body tissues. At the heart of the project is the safety of phytoestrogens – estrogen-like compounds in plants that are generally […]
Information system to help scientists analyze mechanisms of social behavior
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – With a $5 million, five-year grant from the National Science Foundation, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign will create BeeSpace, a system to help scientists analyze all sources of information relevant to the mechanisms of social behavior. The complex society of the Western honey bee, Apis mellifera, will drive the information system. […]
Byproduct of water-disinfection process found to be highly toxic
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – A recently discovered disinfection byproduct (DBP) found in U.S. drinking water treated with chloramines is the most toxic ever found, says a scientist at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign who tested samples on mammalian cells. The discovery raises health-related questions regarding an Environmental Protection Agency plan to encourage all U.S. water-treatment […]
Illinois biologist among 57 Presidential Early Career Award winners
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Carla E. Cáceres, a professor of animal biology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, is among 57 young researchers named today as recipients of the 2003 Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers, the highest honor bestowed by the government on young professionals at the outset of their independent research […]
Serotonin metabolites in mollusks suggest pathways for human therapies
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – From mollusks to mammals, newly discovered chemical pathways of serotonin in the nervous system are paving a path toward future pharmaceutical treatments for depression and other disorders. “Understanding novel serotonin pathways in a tissue-dependent manner is useful for the development of pharmaceuticals intended to preserve serotonergic signaling,” said Jeffrey N. Stuart, a […]
Anti-cancer compound found to block late-stage breast-cancer cell growth
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – A well known anti-cancer agent in certain vegetables has just had its reputation enhanced. The compound, in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, has been found to be effective in disrupting late stages of cell growth in breast cancer. Keith Singletary and doctoral student Steven Jackson of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign […]